After a couple of months of rehearsals, February 1988 saw the band enter the Blue Box studios in Hove to record their first (and now much sought-after) album “Rather Death Than False Of Faith”, which finally saw the light of day in November that year (the release was delayed when major retailer WH Smith/Our Price initially refused to handle it on the dubious – possibly spurious – grounds that the record’s title might cause offense in the wake of the Eniskillen outrage).
The album generated hugely positive reviews in the metal press and, helped by exposure on Tommy Vance’s Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio One, started to pick up healthy domestic sales, which in turn brought it to the attention of Peter Mensch’s Three Cherries outfit in the US. Three Cherries were poised to release the album stateside when Mensch ran into well-publicized problems of his own, which then led to a fatal delay in the US release. “Rather Death …” was eventually picked up by Borivoj Krgin’s Mean Machine label but crucial impetus had been lost and the band were never to get close to the same level of exposure again. Back in the UK, the band gigged where and when they could, play Hydra Vein 1989ing local headline gigs and supporting the likes of Sodom and Toranaga further a field. However, frustration was beginning to take its toll on the personalities in the band and after one particularly eventful gig, headlining Brighton’s Level festival where a minor riot kicked off during the group’s set, Ranger left the band to pursue his own interests. The remaining members continued as a four-piece for a while until another series of Spinal Tap-esque incidents on the road, this time on the way to supporting Candlemass in Bradford, saw them decide to split from Metalother and also to part company – rather more amicably – with Davis.
The world, though, had not forgotten Hydra Vein and within a matter of a couple of weeks, RKT Records were on the line with an offer of another one-album deal, which the band (such as it was) jumped at. Adverts were again placed in the “musicians wanted” section of the music papers’ classifieds with Dorset boys Paul Bate and Jon Balfour eventually being given the nod. They would provide the guitars for Hydra Vein’s second album, “After The Dream”, which was recorded at Square Dance studios in Derby in September 1989 and released a couple of months later.
Although technically superior in virtually every department to its successor and again drawing critical praise from reviewers, “After The Dream” never generated the same level of excitement to the band’s debut and, in fact, doesn’t really convey the same level of energy on vinyl as “Rather Death …”. It was, in effect, the last throw of the dice from a band that was close to running its course and, within a year of its release, Hydra Vein had disbanded.
As of 2007 the band managed to secure a re-release of both albums on CD. Remaining band members Damon,Nathan,Paul,Stephen and Dan work and live all over Europe. There are no plans as yet, to tour or record any more material. Especially since the recent death of Mike.
Check out www.hydravein.co.uk
The House
Hydra Vein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The madman, he will take you there; chain you up for easy meat
Gynophobic nightmares haunt his every hour, the man is sick
He'll take you to his torture chamber, leave you tied up in a pit
Once you're there you'll never see the light of day again
Trapped and lost in the hands of a man insane
Locked in the house
You know he's there. He knows what you're about
Thrown into a water hole, electric cables lay nearby
You scream for help but no-one hears, you know this is your time to die
Current courses through your flesh: At least now, the torture stops
He'll take your lifeless corpse away, take his knife and cut you up
Once you're there you'll never see the light of day again
Trapped and lost in the hands of a man insane
Watch for the house. You can't get out
Locked in the house
You know he's there. He knows what you're about
Twenty-four pounds of human limbs are lying under ice
Killer, rapist, cannibal, you're caught up in his vice
Dog-meat, bread and water are the only things you get to eat
And when you can take no more he'll take you, cut you into meat
Once you're there you'll never see the light of day again
Trapped and lost in the hands of a man insane
Watch for the house. You can't get out
Locked in the house
You know he's there. He knows what you're about
The song "The House" by Hydra Vein is a haunting and gruesome portrayal of a disturbing scenario - a maniac who captures and tortures his victims in a run-down house on a run-down street. The lyrics are vivid and graphic, immersing the listener into the terror and helplessness of the captive. The singer describes the stench of burning flesh in the vicinity of the house, indicating that the maniac - who is referred to as a "madman" - has been using fire as a tool of torture. He kidnaps his victims and chains them up for easy meat, highlighting his deranged mind that views humans as little more than livestock.
The lyrics mention that the maniac suffers from gynophobia, which means he has an irrational fear of women. This adds to his already twisted psyche, and it is suggested that he works out his mental issues on the people he captures. The song describes his torture chamber and the pit he leaves his victims in, emphasizing their despair and hopelessness. The singer warns the listener to watch out for the house, as once you're trapped inside, you're doomed to never see the light of day again.
Overall, "The House" paints a grisly picture of human depravity and horror, exploring the depths of what a demented mind is capable of doing to innocent victims.
Line by Line Meaning
Smell the stench of burning flesh from the run-down house on that run-down street
The terrible smell of burning human flesh penetrates the air around an old house on an equally dilapidated street
The madman, he will take you there; chain you up for easy meat
A crazy person will capture you and restrain you to use as an effortless source of food
Gynophobic nightmares haunt his every hour, the man is sick
The man is sick and suffers from an extreme fear of women that disturbs him constantly
He'll take you to his torture chamber, leave you tied up in a pit
He will take you to a place where he inflicts brutal pain, trap you in a small space, and leave you there
Once you're there you'll never see the light of day again
Trapped and lost in the hands of a man insane
Once he has you in his grasp, you will be trapped with no hope of escape, at the mercy of an insane individual
Watch for the house. You can't get out
Locked in the house
You know he's there. He knows what you're about
Stay alert for the house because it is impossible to escape from it. You are locked in, and you know that he is there and understands your reason for being there.
Thrown into a water hole, electric cables lay nearby
You scream for help but no-one hears, you know this is your time to die
Current courses through your flesh: At least now, the torture stops
He'll take your lifeless corpse away, take his knife and cut you up
Thrown into a water-filled hole with electrical cables present, you scream for help, but no one responds, indicating that your life will be taken from you soon. The current flows through your body causing incredible pain, but it will soon be over since he will take away your lifeless body and use his knife to cut it up.
Twenty-four pounds of human limbs are lying under ice
Killer, rapist, cannibal, you're caught up in his vice
Dog-meat, bread and water are the only things you get to eat
And when you can take no more he'll take you, cut you into meat
There are nearly twenty-five pounds of human limbs left underground. You have become trapped in the grip of a person who kills, rapes, and eats other human beings. He only feeds you dog meat, bread, and water. And when you can't take it anymore, he will finish you and turn you into meat.
Contributed by Dominic M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.